Captain Aurelios Olano, Catholic/Heroic Helicopter Pilot (RIP)

Please pray and have Masses said for the repose of the soul of Aurelios Olano, my wife’s nephew, who passed away yesterday in the Philippines in a tragic helicopter accident.

He was a Filipino Air Force captain and helicopter pilot.  Yesterday he was flying a crew of three near the coast of Bohol, one of the islands in the Philippines, when the helicopter had a mechanical malfunction.  

Captain Aurelios Olano

Through bravery, he was able to steer close enough to land in the ocean, instead of on land, saving the lives of the three crew members. Unfortunately, he sustained injuries so serious that he did not survive. 

Read the story HERE. 

Aurelios was 32 years old, newly married, a Catholic Christian, known for his charity to others, and now for his heroic service to his Country.   In my book at least, he was in the end a Christian hero.   Requiescat in pace.  May he rest in peace.  

Okie Trad Responds to Ann Barnhardt: Re The Covid Vaccine

I saw this today over at The Catholic Monitor:  Link.  It was a comparison of my points about the Covid vaccine to opposite points made by Ann Barnhardt:  Link.   Her post came the day after my own.

I was expressing some minor issue one evening last week in a post about all the Covid hysteria that keeps dominating the headlines, and the private judgment of some that taking the Covid vaccine is somehow objectively a sin.  That had followed my observation that Charles Coulombe got himself tarred and feathered by the professional pundits for over a week recently (I hope that is over), including by Barnhardt who had ridiculed him for his weight in a rather scathing critique of his reading of tarot cards, even though in that post I did not mention her.

The Vatican says it is NOT a sin to receive the Covid vaccine.  Traditional priests like the SSPX, FSSP, and other Trad groups, as far as I can tell, agree.

Miss Ann Barnhardt, however, insists it IS.  

She said that taking the vaccine is a “massive” sin against prudence, even to save your job, because in her scientific/moral theology assessment the risk of death is actually--in her words-- greater than playing Russian roulette.  "Massive" isn't something "venial."  Therefore it would be, according to her, a mortal sin, a damnable offense.

I think so far I’m being fair in laying out what her position is.

By the way, a hand pistol has 6 chambers, making her statistical assessment a 1 in 6 chance, or worse, that you're gonna stroke out and die, if you get the Covid shot.  Hmmm.

Perhaps that was meant as hyperbole, but what I won’t do is insult her for comments like this.  I will offer, instead, counter points for the reader considering both sides of the argument.   

1.  What matters most in deciding if it is a sin is to consider the authoritative ruling of Church authorities. I reference those sources, whereas Barnhardt decidedly did not.  Not even bishops like Bishop Athanasius Schneider have gone as far as this one lay blogger.  This would only weaken her argument.

2. As I originally said, I recognize the evils surrounding the vaccine and the actual prudence of generally avoiding it—if you can--supporting the pastoral letter of an SSPX priest C212 linked to last week, Father not going himself as far as this person.   

3. However, Ann is not giving accurate science.  Yes, of course it would be extremely imprudent to take a vaccine that poses the same or worse statistical risk to life than actually putting a bullet into one of a few pistol chambers, and pulling the trigger.  But common sense says the data does not support this extreme conclusion.

4. Seriously, if say you’re a Catholic man providing for a large family, wife at home, (there are many Trads that fit this description), required to take the vaccine at work, with access to actual comprehensive reports on the arguably low risks, it is not so simple as giving up your livelihood to boycott a vaccine. And risk having to put your family on food stamps.  

To not take the vaccine in those specific cases could also be imprudent, in my opinion.  Putting your family unnecessarily into poverty is imprudent.  The Priest in confession would actually be the one though to advise on this for each person in their circumstances, if this is a question of actual prudence (vs. being an act that is absolutely evil, or not).

But Ann Barnhardt is actually suggesting that the chances of dying from the vaccine are so high that it is sinfully imprudent to take the vaccine. 

If she sincerely believes that math, then her conclusion makes sense for her to follow.

5.  But that assessment is, to put it, well, diplomatically, not even remotely based on all the statistical evidence, even those reports that most detail associated cases of death or serious adverse reactions.

That said, if even 1 out of 100 die from the vaccine, as her jelly bean meme suggested, Ann has provided no data to back that grossly exaggerated # up.  

And that does not demonstrate causation.  On the contrary, the latest report of all officially reported post-vaccination deaths puts #s of associated deaths at 0.0016%. In fact, nearly every vaccine or drug, in a very small % of people, is loosely associated with death or serious adverse side effects.  

6.  It is a fallacy to jump to the conclusion that there is causation, when there is correlation between taking the vaccine and deaths.  Many taking the vaccine are older adults with serious co-morbidities already.  This population experiences strokes and heart attacks every day.  On the order of an an entire nation, or globe, statistically there are going to be a very small number of people who happen to die after taking any vaccine or drug.  This is not to say there IS NOT more serious risk or could be, but the data so far is not concluding what Ann thinks it is.

That said, if Ann can prove the risk of death is 1/6, or even just 1/100, without cherry-picking from small, obscure reports, I will personally donate to her website.  Enough $ to buy one of those cheesecakes I hear Italy is known for (Ann now lives in Italy).  

But I hope she doesn't take me up on my wager.  I am ready for the Covid hysteria to end. 

10 Plans for This Spring

I love Spring.  Second only to Fall.  Come to think of it, it has been competing the last couple years with my love of Fall, so much so that I give you my "10 Plans for This Spring."  Care of The Okie Traditionalist.  

1.  Watching my garden grow.  Planted Saturday tomatoes, bell peppers, several herbs, carrots, cucumbers, green and yellow summer squash, spinach, and for good measure kale (great in smoothies, being a super food).  By late June, I should be posting pics of a fruitful harvest, God willing.

2.  Smoking meat and grilling.  Bought a new smoker grill recently, and tested her out Sunday smoking all day long pork ribs, and wow they came out tender.  And smokey.  Next will be brisket.  There's nothing like enjoying a Busch lite while moderating the temp on your new smoker grill while watching your garden grow.

3.  Home and Garden Show this Saturday in T-town.   Will probably go, for the Mrs, but to get ideas about landscaping and all things outdoors.  Plus it's FREE this year.

4.  Going to the Park.  Our favorite is Woodward Park, and also Centennial Park near downtown, which I liken to a mini version of Central Park on NYC, just on a micro scale.

5.  Estate Sales.  As we're planning to buy a house soon in the country, we are looking to expand our furniture and home decor.  Again, more for the Mrs, but I like to scout out tools, books, and fine artwork.

6. More Sunday Trips to SSPX-OKC.   Trying to make it there once a month, time permitting.

7. Eating Healthier.  I transitioned recently from keto back to Atkins, to up the intake of vegetables, berries, seeds, etc.  Enjoying fruit smoothies, iced green tea, and lemon aide made with stevia.  And of course lemons.   Plus lately I've been putting cilantro in everything--near zero calories, and near zero carbs, but chalked with vitamins.

8. More walking Peanut.  Mea culpa, in the winter I neglected some days to take my Mans-best-friend around the block everyday.  She was chomping at the bit more than me to get outside once Winter subsided.

9. Backyard fires.  Still have a bunch of old wood to burn.

10. Blue Hole Spring Outings.  Just as soon as it's warm enough to swim.  Planning some nice BBQ cookouts there, under our canopy tent, snorkeling (need to get fins), and fishing.

Wednesday Evening Reflections: Coulombe, The Vaccine.

After a tasty bowl of Thai-style soup made by the Mrs.--heavy on the chili paste, the evening rosary, and taking the dog for a walk, I thought I'd sit down and write a post about a couple things.  I enjoy writing, after all.  

First, this silly tarring and feathering of Charles Coulombe recently, as a local Catholic blogger described it.  I think I have to chalk it up to the underbelly of the Catholic Blogosphere.  Brother against brother, in order to get more views, comments, and higher stats.  By some.  

Like the flame wars of not distant memory between the Gordon brothers/Voris-Niles Axis going after the Taylor Marshall crowd supporting the SSPX.  ‘Scandalous’ indeed.  That's enough to make my chili-digesting innards ache this evening.  

More so than Coulombe going to a Halloween party, for Pete's sake.  I remember Patrick Madrid, who always seemed to me like a calm enough guy giving some useful apologetics, going full throttle rabid cut throat against the Society during that turf war, via some Twitter rage.  The way he recently raged against those who read Canon212.

There is constructive criticism, and then there is unjust rage, Patrick.

Good times.  And good for internet business it seems.

Fight the enemy, not each other, guys.  That includes you too Dymphna (who I otherwise enjoy reading, btw).  Coulombe is one of the good guys in the trenches of traditional Catholicism, despite liking tarot cards.

The other topic is this endless vaccine issue that keeps dominating the news cycle, ad nauseum, just the latest ideological issue Big Brother/The Media is using to control the masses, in my opinion, which is why I'm largely silent about it and gloss over the daily headlines about Fauci et al as stupid distractions.  

You know from good things like God, Jesus, or the Church.

Now, according to the principle of double effect, most of the covid vaccines (minus J&J) can be taken without committing a sin, whether venial or mortal.  This isn't some novel post-VII idea, but rather traditional moral theology applied to medical ethics.  And this is not my opinion.

This is the position by the way, not only of the Holy See, but nearly every traditionalist priest or trad apostolate I've heard give their opinion, whether SSPX, FSSP, or otherwise.  That is on whether or not taking the vaccine is a sin.  LINK

On the other hand, since these vaccines are new, and largely untested, but especially because they were derived from studies including aborted fetal cell lines, then, as this priest argues, (thanks to C212 posting it), and because they are being used by Big Brother for communist control, the vaccine can and should be generally avoided altogether:  LINK.

Makes sense to me.

That said, if say you are the breadwinner of the family, i.e. the husband, then I can't fault any man using prudence deciding to take the vaccine if it is required to maintain his livelihood.  Whether you're say a health care professional, educator, or police officer, if they make you take it, and not taking it could cost you your job, then that's a prudential decision.  

And if I'm off base, then so be it.  I'm just one guy waxing and waning on subjects that pop up daily on my radar.  

Eat more jelly beans, this Easter season!

Re: Charles Coulombe

Likes to discuss the Catholic imagery on tarot cards with gnostic friends, trying to convert them, we have been dutifully informed via the Trad blogosphere.  Even attends a Halloween party at a gnostic lodge run by his cousin, who invites him there.  

For the record, I wouldn't do either.  And for the record, this peculiar habit of his isn't worth being dissected publicly on the internet.

Charles Coulombe in my experience of him online is no less of a good, traditional Catholic--in the way he conducts himself publicly--than the rest of the online trad armchair scholars and pundits.  

I for one like him, despite this peculiarity.

SSPX-OKC for Easter Vigil!

I've really been appreciating this last week the rewards of the Lenten penance, with Easter feasting and celebration.  Sunday's Easter dinner--and notably my Easter lemon cake shaped like an egg (see last post)--was a hit.  Each day this week I've been treating myself in the evening to a whiskey soda, watching in pieces "The Ten Commandments," an excellent film for its day, by the way.  Last night was the best fish in the state of Oklahoma at White River Fish market, today planting my garden and buying a new smoker-grill, and tomorrow smoking some pork ribs after attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!  Such is the way we are celebrating this Easter Octave.

Which brings me to our journey last Saturday to the Society of St. Pius Xth oasis chapel St. Michael's for the Easter Vigil Mass.  Arrived in OKC that afternoon around 5 pm, picked up some drive-through food, checked in at the Holiday Inn, ate in our room, and relaxed until 9:30 pm.  Got ready, drove the short two minute drive to the church, and got a seat before the church filled up for the 10:30 ceremony blessing the Easter fire, candle, etc.  Three hours later, the Vigil Mass was over, and I was nearly asleep, yet we joined the parish community for their annual post-Vigil get-together with cheese, crackers, fruit, and other appetizers, the Mrs. bringing her famous Filipino macaroni salad (which was enjoyed).  

The next morning we slept in, and checked out at 11 am for the drive back to T-town.

Thank God for the SSPX!  And all priests preserving Catholic Tradition!  And for the Risen Lord and this celebratory season!  Okay, gotta run up to Home Depot.

Blessed weekend to you and yours.

My Holy Week Penance

God seems to think I need some penance right now, it seems, I’m sure for slacking on my Lenten penance recently.   I gave up diet Coke and whiskey for Lent, except on Sundays.  But last Saturday evening, mea culpa, I back-slid rationalizing “well Saturday evening is practically Sunday,” having a couple otherwise modest whiskey sodas, with my chicken wings.  Had done well up to that point this Lent, but God must’ve thought I needed a reminder that the body must be tamed. 

Hence I woke up Sunday morning with a sharp pain in my right heel, that has left me limping and wincing since.  As far as I can tell it’s another flare up of gout—which is hellish btw—which can be triggered by alcohol and too much meat.  The whiskey sodas + wings --> gout.  I figure.  But secondary to the gout is some tendonitis in the Achilles for good measure.

Fun. 

So God seemingly gave me the opportunity to participate in my own way in His Son's Passion this Holy Week.  It’s a gentle penance anyway compared to the unimaginable sufferings of some people in this world.  

Anyways, it’s Holy Saturday. Later we’re off to OKC for Easter Vigil at the beautiful traditional Catholic community of St. Michael’s chapel (SSPX), and a stay at the Holiday Inn.  

Sunday will be back to T-town for a family Easter dinner of ham, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, brussel sprouts, rolls, wine, and an Easter lemon cake I made shaped like an egg, decorated with Easter candy.

Easter Lemon Cake I Made

Not Bad, If I Do Say So Myself

Just less meat and spirits for me going forward.  Mea culpa.  

Happy Easter.